What is Love?
by Flynn Roswell
Summary: [Working Title] Gumball is now lost without the girl he loves. But, a silver lining occurs when a secret he knows can destroy the two people that ruined him. But, another secrets gets out. Soon, in this dramedy that mixes suspense, romance, angst, mystery, and all that gives Roswell one of the few dark stories that's friendly, until the very end.
1. Chapter One

What is Love?

By

Flynn Roswell

For Evelio

Chapter One

I walked down the stairs from the second floor. I thought about it. You know, along the way. I felt that what happened today really could have happened to anyone. Believe me, I'm used to the whole ordeal of teachers using me as the punching bag for their favorites. Maybe I'm not the most likeable, but I'm not that bad. You should see Jamie; she will give you a beating that'll last through the month (and it's painful, don't make the same mistake I made). But, you get use to it. Like how I'm used to going to office for something _so dreadful_, it makes _orphans cry_, she says. She says, she says, she says, oh my, how can you be here?

Lacking around the steps, I felt the need to dance there a bit. You know, like in one of those musicals. I don't really care how stupid it sounds, buddy, I just feel the need to do it. Chris says do what you got to do.

Confidence, my dear friend, you can't live without it.

I danced around the stairs, singing like if I was in the rain, like that one movie. I don't remember its name, but I bet it's close. I kept dancing and dancing around, doing some tricks, even singing.

I began, "I'm singin' in the—crap!" I fell down the stairs when I tripped during the middle. I guess it was all right. I didn't fell from the top. I guarantee you I would have cracked my shoulder, or my head—or any part of my body, for that matter.

I got back up, but I heard a loud crack. I looked around, turning my neck both ways to see if anyone was around. My own neck cracked both ways when I turned. Turned out that crack was from me, from the neck and when I got up.

_It's going to be a bad day,_ I thought, _bad day for you, Gumball, really._

After I got back up, I fixed myself up. And by that, I really mean I just threw myself against the wall, hoping it would fix my back.

It did.

Made me smile, knowing that things are ridiculous.

I walked back down—no musical number for me, I'll tell you that.

As I was walking down, I even noticed how our school was pretty clean inside. I felt that it was somewhat of a good sign, in my opinion. Maybe it is, or maybe it's not. You be the judge of that. Heck, some people misinterpret stuff and get so mad about it. Always hated them, never thought anything more. But, I could just be like them. You never know.

I walked past a couple of classrooms, and by the kindergarten room, I saw my brother, Darwin.

Darwin is a goldfish, while I'm a blue cat. We may not be brothers by blood, but I believe that still doesn't mean we're not family. We are, by blood or not. Family means a lot to me, and should to those who understand the meaning, too. We stood by each other through thick and thin. I believe that means a lot.

We are brothers. That's that. Anyone who has a problem with that, well, I can't help who you are.

I kept going, without saying "hi" to him. I felt it was a bit harsh since I saw him, and he saw me. But, little ol' meh, decided to just walk away. I hate that. You see someone, but you just walk away. Feels like they stabbed you in the back, in a way, at least.

I got closer to the office, but I ended up seeing the graduation photos. Saw my peers before me, and before them, and before them. I can't wait for that. You go down in history of this school, like you were here, and you did something to change the world when you came back. They expect a lot from you, but are they really that hard? I mean, come on, all they do is review. I mean, it's all review; you just work on a test, a test of how well you remembered what you were told. Yet, _so many_ people find it necessary to cheat or fail. It makes me ashamed to be here in this world. We are the ones who evolved so much, yet we can't pass a simple test of remembering things they told you?

Damn them. I have no regrets, you know. But that's me. You can't change who I am, but we can't deny the person we are, and what we're destined to be.

I kept walking, and I saw Principal Brown's office. I looked closer at the label:

PRINCIPAL BROWN

That's not much, but I'll admit that's it. Those two words sum up who he is. Me, I can't. My name is Gumball Watterson. What's that suppose to be? I mean—Gumball Watterson.

That's nothing. Who am I suppose to be?

I knocked on the door, expecting him to come out. I waited for a while, but then I decided to knock again. I waited for a bit, looking around the halls, expecting something interesting to come up.

Nothing. I waited for a while. Then there he was, Principal Brown.

He checked his wristwatch. "You're a couple of seconds late, Mr. Watterson."

"Well," I began, "that's kind of your fault for leaving me out when I knocked on your door"—holding up my two fingers—"_twice._"

He gave me a dirty look.

"Are you suggesting that there's something wrong with my duty as principal?"

I sort of laughed—_duty_. Sorry, I'm a child.

"Is there something funny about my job, Watterson? I will remind you that you have a record that doesn't need any more complaints about your life, _Watterson._ Do I make myself clear?" he said, with a deeper, intimidating voice.

I said, barely, "Yes. Yes, sir."

"Good," he said. "Now, what's on the paper?"

"Uh, I, I was sent here by Miss Simian to give you our attendance sheet. She said the computer crashed and didn't send. She had to print this out and said that Brandon was interrupting again."

He became a bit steady, even though he thought I was going to have detention with him again. I gave him the paper. He looked at it to see if it was real. It was. I just hate it when they think you're that predictable. "Martinez or Morgan?" he asked.

"The rat," I said. "Martinez."

"Ah," he said, "I thought Morgan was the dog."

"No, he's kinder. The other is—well, you know."

"Yeah, I can imagine." He stayed there, like he was waiting for something. "Anything else, Watterson?"

"No," I said. "I don't have detention, so nothing like that, sir. I'm a good boy."

"Normally I would say otherwise, but that would cause me to get fired for getting personal opinions involved in a student's life. So believe, believe what you want to, but you can't deny the truth."

That killed my mood. I mean it. I mean, I know I'm not the easiest guy to be with, I'll admit it, but give me a chance to really get to know me. I mean, I'm not this jerk who wants to make trouble. I just…

"Okay," I said. "Okay, sir. I'm…I'm sorry if I disturbed anything you were working on…Principal Brown, sir."

"Good," he said. "And don't be a downer, that's weird and moody."

"Okay, sir."

"Good," he said. He closed the door and went back to doing what he was doing.

I decided to go back upstairs, but I felt out of it. I'm like a writer with writer's block. I wanted to talk to my friends, but I can't. The funny thing is that my only real friend I can count on is Darwin, my brother, my best friend. And the only enemy I know I can hate till the day I die is Tobias.

I hate him for taking away Penny.

What? You didn't know? You didn't know they were together?

Oh, my bad. Sorry, sorry for reminding you.

I'm not the guy you should talk to about when the only girl he ever loved (besides my mother, and Granny Jojo) is now in the hands of your worst friend, and number one enemy.

A lot of people would mope around, or do something about, like in those romantic comedies. You know—guy loses girl, guy does everything he can to get her back, and he wins or loses. Either way, I don't feel like doing anything about it, but I don't feel like doing nothing.

I have the answer, though. You just move on, basically. That's it.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

When I was walking back to class, I had the idea that the class would have me pegged. It's weird, right? I mean, yeah, some may see me as just the guy you can point fingers at, but did it ever occur to them that sometimes we just are born to be who we are? I don't know about you, but it seems like that's how some may describe it as.

I knocked on the door, like I didn't belong.

Miss Simian opened up the door—dead, her face read.

"Well, well, why the long face?" she asked. She actually seemed happy by that. "Did Brown give you something to be sad about?"

"No," I said, quietly. "Just…I'm a little tired."

"Aw," she said, "well, maybe you should lie your head on your desk, right over there,"—she pointed at my desk—"and sleep. Then, when you're not tired anymore, I can write you up for sleeping in my class. What do you have to say about it?"

"C-Can you just lay off me," I said.

Her face shifted to a serious look.

"What did you say?" she asked, almost confused by that.

"Can you take these insults—whatever you like to call them—and just ease off me, please? I don't need this right now, Miss Simian."

She raised a smile. Not a good one, a sinister one.

"Come here, real quick," she said, grabbing me by the shoulder. She brought us in the classroom.

"What are you—?"

"Students!" she screamed.

Everyone turned to her, and me. "Gumball asked me to 'lay off' him. Am I cruel students?" she asked, like this was normal.

I spotted Tobias and Penny whispering at each other. I remembered when Darwin and I whispered when one of these things happened. We called it "Miss Simian's execution."

Now, as I can put it, the tables are turned, on me.

"Am I, students?" She repeated.

"Do we have a choice?" Carmen asked.

Everyone laughed a bit.

Miss Simian turned to all of them.

They stopped. I swear I could have listened to the crickets outside. They have it easier, in my opinion. They don't live long, and they get through things quick; they even have their partner fast and live life, before something happens. (I, for one, _kill_ bugs, like flies and mosquitoes, so that could explain why some die quick.)

"Yes, Carmen, we do," she said.

"Well, I think you can be better," she said.

I turned to her, knowing that she is dead. She's smart, but I guess we're all stupid in a way. I know I am.

"Well," she began, grabbing her chair and placing me on it, "I believe Gumball has his _own_ opinion of how I manage things, and if he doesn't want to end up with Brown, he'll do the right thing."

I turned to her, hoping that this wasn't happening. I felt like this may be the end for me, but I felt like I could have ended worse. I mean, I could have died from cooties (I don't care how old I am, I still believe! How do you explain those red shots I had when I was younger? Those were _not just_ chickenpox.), or Penny could have broken my heart so bad that I have a heart attack. It could happen.

"Go on, Gumball," she said, like if she were a friend of mine.

I stared at my classmates. I turned a bit to the window, but Miss Simian quickly turned my head and made me face the class, again.

"Don't be shy," she said.

"I'm not," I said.

"Then say what you need to say."

"That I think you're the _worst_ teacher I have ever met? That I think you do this intentionally, only to strive on children's pain? That maybe you only do this to get some kind of cheap satisfaction for yourself? Is that what you want me to say? Maybe if I tell you that I'm sad because of my own personal issues, you would use against me. But no, I won't, Miss Simian. I believe you are a coward, and I pity you, and whatever life you had to life for."

She had her mouth open. It was bigger than the Grand Canyon, maybe. I swear I could fit my entire head there—and I have a _big_ head, no fooling.

I turned back to the class, and they were shocked. Everyone there was. I didn't think they would be that shocked or anything, I just—_oh, snap._ I am _done_ for.

I turned back to Miss Simian, and she was madder than ever before.

I quickly smiled to ease her from being so angry.

I believe that made it worse, because she grabbed me by the arm, and the strength I felt through that one grab was strong enough to break every bone in my body. I mean it. It was scarier than whatever Jamie or Tina has ever threatened to do to me.

This was like a nightmare.

This _is_ a nightmare.

When we got to Principal Brown, she almost threw me to the floor.

She began, screaming, almost like a maniac, "_This will not do, Brown_. I can tolerate a lot, but not him—_especially him._"

Brown scratched his head, knowing that this can't keep going on this like.

"If I can speak on my own behalf—"

"Silence!" Brown screamed.

"What?" I said. "I understand 'shut up,' but_…silence?_"

"Just stop it, Watterson. I have had it with you. Ever since you came, you've been nothing but trouble."

"But—"

"Watterson…I can only take so much…but I am this close—_this close_—to losing it with you, and everything that you have caused here."

"But I don't even cause a lot of trouble. Plus, it has always been reported by Miss Simian. Don't you think that would raise some kind of '_personal matters_' getting involved in the '_student's life,_' as by your words, sir?"

He sat there in silence…

"Watterson, do you know how the system works here, in this very school?"

"Not quite so, sir," I said.

"It's either you do, or you don't, Watterson," he said.

"No," I said.

"Well," he began, "you have to understand that the teacher is the one that takes care of you, and you do what she or he tells you to do. You have _no control_ in that room, unless she or he allows it. And while you're in that room, you do not speak against her or him, you don't take anything from her or him, and you sure as…don't disobey _her_ or him. Do you understand, Watterson? You know if you don't, I will have to 'let you go,' and your parents wouldn't like that very much, no? So do you, Watterson?"

I thought about it for a while. I know some people would just say yes, but I have to think about it. I mean, this isn't a great place, but I can't leave here. I can't go anywhere else. Where do I go? My mom would give me a beating (I know, she beat up Tina's dad, and he's as big as a skyscraper). I won't even make it as a drop out—or in this case, an expelled student. I just can't take that chance. But I know if I do, Miss Simian will keep doing this to me over and over again. I mean, she would win. She can do whatever she wants and can get away with that. I can't. Not even if I lay a finger on her. I will lose, no matter what my choice is.

I said, "I do, sir."

"Great," he said. "Now, I trust there won't be anymore problems?"

"No, sir," I said.

"Great," he said, with a smile.

"But, may I say something, real quick?" I asked.

"Okay, if it's all right with Miss Simian," he said.

I turned to her. She said, "Nothing wrong with it, _if _he's learned."

"Well, Watterson, have you?" he asked.

"I just want to say that Miss Simian left the rest of the classroom alone, without a sub," I said.

"That's not true," she said, quickly, "I got a sub upstairs now, called them up when you back-talked me."

"But…okay. I just wanted to make sure."

"Good," he said. "Now, go up with your class, while Miss Simian and I work on future events for the school year. I can't tell you how many times those lousy things crash. We had it planned out, and—"

"Uh, sir," I said.

"What!" he screamed, like I offended him.

"I need to go up, you know, to my class."

"Okay, the faster you go back up, the less you have to waste the time we have to work on."

I left. I didn't want to face him anymore than to watch him talk to Miss Simian. I felt they just took what was left from me—my dignity. I feel like this school has betrayed me in so many ways (besides the whole girlfriend-stealing from Tobias). I've been cheated here, more than once, I tell you. This just cannot stand. I can't believe I just get walked on, like a carpet or a rug. At least with those things they don't have any expectations to be anymore than what they are. I feel it's more like these two just take what I have to make them happy.

When I got back upstairs to my classroom, I opened to the door to see everyone calm and just writing.

I turned to see if there really was a sub (substitute, whatever), but there wasn't. In fact, I don't even think they know what happened. I mean, it's weird.

"Hello?" I said.

Everyone turned.

"You guys cannot be this quiet, with or without a substitute."

"What do you mean?" Penny asked. I didn't want to answer her, but I did thought about it for a while. Miss Simian was pretty over-the-edge for her normal self, so maybe they're quiet because they don't want her to take it out on them.

But I knew one thing—there was no sub.

"Nothing," I said. "Just keep doing what you're doing. It's my fault."

I left, with something to say to Principal Brown. But first, I went back in and asked to use one of their phones. Penny pulled one out and raised it for me to grab. I would have grabbed another phone, but she was the only one who was willing to let me use her phone.

I grabbed it, and set it to camera mode (not before getting the password, of course, since people don't want their phone to get stolen), and I recorded.

I yelled from behind, "Well, Miss Simian's classroom is quiet—But,"—turning quickly towards the front of the class—"I see _no teacher_ or _substitute_ here, as told by Miss Simian, in her words, she send one down here."

I ended the video and asked her if I can borrow it for a while.

She said, "Sure, anything." She said it like if I was friend still her friend.

I ran out of the room, going down the steps (which brought back that painful memory of getting my bones cracked), and even running past Rocky. He said, "Hi, Gumball!" but I ignored him. I felt this was far too important than some chit-chat with one of the _cooler _staff members of our failed system of education…I don't think that came out right, but, oh well.

I saw his office, and, without knocking, I went in, saying, "Principal Brown, Miss Simian didn't—"

I saw something else. What I saw was not what I expected.

Principal Brown and Miss Simian were on the desk, _making out_. I could be happy for them (not many would go out with either one of them), but she did look like one of those old sock monkeys that were beaten, thrown away to the dumb, and were run over; with Principal Brown, he was…just _hairy._

I was completely stunned by what I just saw.

And by the looks on their faces, (they did see me barge in, and talking) they saw it, too.

"Uh," Principal Brown began.

"We're practicing, uh," Miss Simian said.

I didn't buy it. Not one by it.

And, by my smile, they knew it, too.

"Okay," I said. "I am may be an idiot at times, but I'm not stupid. I know what's going on, I know it. And once everybody else knows it—"

"No, no, no," Brown and Simian said.

"No one has to know, right, buddy?" Principal Brown said.

"Yeah," Miss Simian said. "After all, we do have _your record_, and we could do _anything_ we want with it."

They had me there. I knew they could do anything with it—expel me or keep me quiet. But I had _bigger_ leverage (ironically she taught me that word: leverage).

"Yeah," I said. "You could do that, but, then again, I can tell the school officials what you two were doing, and I know that this is _way beyond_ personal opinions, right, _Brown?_"

He nodded, but with fear…

"And that would mean I can get you two out of here, and there will be no chance you guys to get a job. Me? I can get a bad school, but you guys can't even get into one place. Plus, I do believe, like Miss Simian taught us in History, there are chances of the two of you getting 'yellow papered'. Also, scandals tend to get a lot of media attention from many news channels, and the Internet does have a high tendency to say stuff that isn't true, which people believe, if you know what I mean? So, you can't say much about what I should do. All you go to do to lose your jobs is if you _tick _me off, and I can get away with anything from here, where you have no power over me. Do I make myself clear, _Brown?_"

They stared at me; they knew what I was capable of doing.

"Yes, Gumball—"

"Watterson, if you may. It sounds weird when you say it."

"Okay…Watterson," he said, with his voice hinting defeat.

"Now then, I'll leave, and you guys can continue what you're doing, while I get a substitute—which, by the way, Miss Simian failed to do, and it could have saved your secret."

"Yes, I agree," he said.

"Good," I said, before closing the door, and locking it.

I felt pretty good inside, like a big monkey has finally gotten off my back (both metaphorically and literally—not that she's gotten on my back before, so…just metaphorically, if you could).

But I realized that I now have a good day, but I needed something bad. I know I was just threatened, but here, it's like I lost a dollar and found a twenty.

I needed the yin-and-yang combo for balance.

I don't know. That's me. I just feel lucky, and I didn't really deserve it.

All I know now is that I have to tell someone about my victory.

I had to list down the people I can tell, without them ruining my plan.

I can't tell Penny or Tobias, for obvious reasons. I can't say it to Carrie, mainly because she wouldn't care. I can't tell Carmen, even if she did back me up for a while—wait! What am I talking about? There is only one person I can tell: Darwin.

But I forgot that I had to give Penny her phone back, and then I can go talk to Darwin about what happened.

I ran upstairs.

While I was running up, the bell rang. I knew that I wouldn't be able to catch up with him since he does go fast. But I knew that he had P.E. now. I just have to give Penny her phone and run back downstairs.

When I got up, I saw my classmates running out, where I saw Penny, waiting. I ran up to her and gave her back the phone.

She asked me if everything was all right.

I didn't bother giving her an answer. She hurt me, and I just can't forget what happened. I don't know how she could do this to me.

I ran in the opposite direction where she was going, and I didn't look back. It would be too painful.

As I ran down the stairs, I noticed that this was very lucky for me, since I have lunch this period, so I get away scot-free! But I never do go to lunch. In fact, I usually sleep somewhere and just "black out".

What's funny is that I always wanted a security guard to come up to me and tell me to go back to class when I'm walking in the hallway. Then, out of nowhere, I tell him that I have lunch right now, and he could type up my student ID number, if he wanted more proof. He would then search it up, and I prove him wrong that I'm not a troublemaker and he apologizes.

That's a good dream for me.

I got to the locker room (boys' since I have made too many mistakes from going to the girls'), where I saw it was empty.

I got a little mad by that, but I remembered that maybe Darwin is still here, since he could have gotten lazy for today and still would be putting on his swimwear (he has swimming, and I do, too, for P.E.). I checked around the lockers, and I heard the shower running.

I ran where I heard the shower coming from, but I thought that maybe it wasn't Darwin, but one of those people who take off _all _of their clothes to wash for their hair or when they use the bathroom (I always found it creepy when I see their butt in plain view). But I knew I had to take the chance.

I pulled the shower curtain, but nobody was there.

I was confused, but I guess someone must have left it on after they left—

I saw him. I saw Darwin's foot (or fin, whatever) under the shower next to it, since there are three rows where there's a private shower—there you could wash off or change, in private.

I grabbed his foot (whatever!) and screamed, "I thought fish _loved_ the water—"

I saw Darwin, and Tobias, kissing, while holding onto each other.

I was shocked, and didn't know what to say.

"Uh," Tobias began.

"Gumball, I…" Darwin began, but didn't finish.

I walked out of the locker room, stunned and confused.

I felt that I had lost my brother.

I don't know even know who he is anymore.

I guess this was the _yin_ to my _yang_ for a balanced day.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

"Get over here," he said, almost yelling at me. It was Brown who pulled out of the hallway and dragged me into a dark room. It looked like the janitor's closet.

"All right, now look—"

"This is wrong," I said.

"What?"

"I mean, you're old and I'm young…we're in a dark room…?"

"You think wrong," he said.

"Yeah, I got a bad enough day, man. I don't need you coming in and trying to make it worse."

"Well, let me make it better," he said. "How about I excuse you from school, saying you're on a special trip, or something."

"What are you suggesting?" I asked.

"You saw what Miss Simian and I were doing," he said.

"So what?"

He smiled, and then laughed for a bit.

"Listen, I want to make it right, because you have valuable information that could jeopardize a lot of things. And I can't let this slide with you knowing about this."

"Look," I said, "can I just say I won't talk about it?"

"No," he said. "That would be stupid. Sure, I could probably accept it like that, but then you may ask me for something and later abuse it—which, if that's your intention, then by all means—but I want to set it straight. You have the power, and I want to make sure if you can keep this secret, Watterson—Gumball, I mean, if that's what you want me to call you."

I started to think about it, but…I couldn't get that image out of my head. I mean, my own brother betrayed me in a way. But, the more I believe it didn't happen, and the more this kind of pressure is off, the better I can live my life…

"Just…let me be, okay?" I asked. "I just want some time alone."

"You can use my office, if you want," he said. "It'll be all yours."

"You're being drastic. I have to go, Brown," I said.

"All right, all right," he said. "Whatever you want."


End file.
